7/7 Tu - Shirakawa Boulevard - Dark Hour
"So it looks like I'm running the show now."
"What the hell are you...!?"
"Why does something so pitiful deserve an answer. It's like telling an ant why humans squish them."
Kazuki-kun is acting differently; He acting more insanely than he ever did before. His reading is different than it usually is. Just as I'm analyzing him, he peers down at me from the roof he's on.
"How dare you gaze at me, woman!?" He's able to notice that I'm focused on him? "...Maybe I should just kill you for looking at me!" Right as he raises his hand, his other hand grabs it, seeming as though he's stopping himself. "You little shit, you gained some control over your body?" He turns away from me. What did he mean when he said "gained some control over your body"?
His opponent connects a punch to his face, but he doesn't seem fazed by it.
"Oi, you're still alive?"
"Yeah, don't you count me out yet!"
They engage in hand-to-hand combat. The entity controlling Kazuki is losing the battle as his opponent is consecutively hitting him. He then hit Kazuki's body with a flaming punch, knocking him back.
"Ha, how was that, you ain't so tough now, are ya!?"
"Not bad, for a worm..." Past my notice, he's standing next to his enemy. "...But such a pathetic display doesn't deserve praise."
He backhands the enemy, sending him flying across the rooftops. He follows him across the roofs at an unbelievable speed, hitting him as he moved across the roofs. They crash into an apartment building. The enemy tries to defend himself by making a geyser of flames beneath Kazuki's body. It launches him to the roof of the building. As Kazuki's body stays in the air, his opponent shoots up towards him by using his flames. He strikes him as he uses short bursts of explosions to change directions. He hits him without any retaliation from Kazuki. He goes in for another hit, however, Kazuki moves his hand. Right when the punch is about to connect, he grabs it. He then throws him back down at the apartment building; the throw alone is strong enough to make him go through 8 floors. He then lands on the rooftop, only to jump down to the bottom first floor. He's now facing his opponent, who is still alive.
"Is that it? Humans truly are fragile." He stomps his face with no warning. He does it again with no remorse. He lets out a laugh that sends a chill down my spine. "Come on, come on, human. Where did all that energy go? Is barking all you can do, and if so, then I'll take you out like the whimpering dog you are."
He lifts his foot for one last stomp. This one is packed with more power, it'll surely kill him if I don't do anything! I'll distract him before he does it!
"Feel proud, you'll be a tribute to the oncoming massacre."
He's about to stomp him, I have to do it now!
"Stop!" I urge him.
He immediately stops his attack, placing his foot back on the ground.
"Curse your misfortune, you won't be the first to die," he tells him, irritation and disdain seeping from his voice.
He jumps up through the hole in the roof. He stands on the roof, allowing the wind to hit his body. His eyes are directed at me. He then jumps towards my position, landing right in front of me. Lucia is protecting me, but the destructive power he displayed will surely breakthrough my defense. He launches a single punch, breaking through my defense in one go.
"...And to think, you dare command me to not kill. Such an insult from a weakling is deserving of death. I'll be sure to take my time though..."
The feeling of bloodlust is real, he really will kill me if I don't do something.
"Kazuki-kun, if you can hear me, please snap out of it." "Ignoring me is truly audacious. I'll have to punish you for such a slight against me."
"Please Kazuki-kun, don't allow this person to take control of your body like this, come back to us; come back to me..."
"You waste your breath for naught!" He swipes his hand in empty space, only for the hotel to be damaged by some invincible force even I can't perceive. Destroying the exterior and interior of the building as well, however, it still stands. Wait, did it hit the others as well!?
"I wonder if it killed everyone inside. Well, even if it didn't it might have mortally wounded them," he cackles with delight. "Well, matters not, you're going to die now, so don't worry about them!" He launches a punch at me, only to stop right in front of my face. Something activates within Kazuki's body, a sort of switch. "Tch, how disappointing. I suppose my time is over. Oh well...I'll just have to look forward to incurring my wrath upon you some other time, girl..."
"Kazuki-kun!?"
The yellow in Kazuki-kun's eyes return to the brown color it normally has. He turns around, looking around, seemingly confused.
"Kazuki-kun, are you okay!?"
"Huh, what the...what happened?"
"Kazuki-kun!"
I hug him, wrapping my arms around him tightly.
"Ah, what's going on? Wait, where's Katsu!?"
"Kazuki-kun, you already beat him."
"What? No, that doesn't make sense...I blacked out and now I'm..."
Does he not remember anything that happened? More importantly, what was that thing? The moment he switched out with whatever was controlling him, the energy signature changed. Now it's the way it usually is...
"Hm?"
I hear something approaching from the hotel, I sense that it's Minako-chan.
The moment she enters our line of sight we tense up from her arrival.
"What happened out here," she asks, not bothered by the fact that the hotel is destroyed.
"What about everyone else," Kazuki-kun demands an answer from her.
"They're still alive, but some of them are pretty banged up right now. I think it's due to the sudden attack that destroyed the building. But hey, you two are so tense right now, why is that?"
"This some sort of game to you!?"
"I never said anything of the sort."
"What the hell is wrong with you then!"
"Nothing at all, I'm simply done putting up a front around you and Yamagishi."
"A front?"
"Yes, an act. The demeanor you gotten used to was an act, nothing more." She takes a seat against the outside wall. "I took care of the second shadow that was in there."
"Wait, there were two shadows in there!"
"That's right, and I took care of it for you guys. I thought you would have sensed it by now; guess your abilities are weak."
Kazuki-kun attempts to walk toward Minako-chan, I stop him before he can take another step. Admittedly it hurts me to hear that my abilities are weak, but I can't let him be provoked.
"The Dark Hour ends in a minute, but don't worry, I contacted Ikutsuki while I was in there. He's sending a specialized rescue team."
That's good news, but why would she do that? For that matter, why is she...
"What do you even want, why did you even come back to the dorm?" Kazuki-kun asks for me.
"None of your concern, just know this: your life is in my hands, if I so wish, I can end it in a blink of an eye. So do not cross me!"
With that warning in mind, we sit in anticipation for the rescue team to arrive.
Iwatodai dormitory, outside of Kei Kazuki's room, Midnight
The mission is over, the shadows have been defeated, however, most of our team is on their way to the hospital. As we entered the dorm, I suddenly felt a bit lacking in energy. Fuu-chan helped me up to my room.
"We're here, but why didn't we go to a hospital instead? You still have burn marks."
It's fine, they'll heal up fine...But you know, 'my room' sounds a bit weird to me."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, since you don't have a room now, maybe we should..."
"Are you saying you want to share a room!?"
"I-I'm only suggesting this because what if we got attacked by the same people again, or what if Minako goes bat-shit crazy and tries to kill you. I want to keep you close by and safe, just in case."
"Oh..."
Yeah, this got awkward real fast, real quick.
"I don't m-mind though," she sheepishly clarifies.
"Cool!"
"We would have to speak to Mitsuru-senpai about it."
"You're right, let's talk to her about it while she's in the hospital. It would be..safer that way."
"Agreed."
I open up the door to my room to find an expected person in it.
"Are the both of you okay?"
"Shizuka-chan?"
"Sup, M.G."